GOODYEAR, Ariz.- In the first set of games of the 15U National Team Championships, NorCal Baseball 2021 topped last year's champion, BPA 2021, 10-5, at Reds 3 at the Goodyear Player Development Complex on Saturday.
Led offensively by Kaleb Dickey, NorCal put runs on the board in every inning but the sixth. Joshua Alger held BPA to just one run through three innings, allowing NorCal to build a sizeable lead.
The NorCal offense jumped on BPA starter Colby Wallace early, scoring two runs in the first on a pair of hits and a passed ball.
NorCal would plate another in the second on a passed ball, but BPA would answer with their first run in the bottom of the frame on a Jordan fielder's choice.
In the third, Dickey would double to left, scoring Brett Zimmerman. Alger would then triple to bring home Dickey, pushing the NorCal lead to four.
NorCal would go on to extend the lead to six before BPA would fire back on a Cody Grebeck RBI-single in the fourth.
In the fifth, NorCal pushed across three more runs, threatening the run-rule. However, BPA would go on to score three runs of their own, highlighted by an Anthony Kumaric RBI-double.
That would be the last of the scoring, as the time limit would end the contest after six innings.
Alger was awarded the win, tossing 3.0 innings and allowing two runs. He allowed only two hits and struck out three, but he did walk five BPA batters.
NorCal moves to 1-0 on the tournament, while BPA slides to 0-1. Both teams will be back in action at 12:30.